Dave,
I would add the following:
Looks like both non-Calfee frame you are looking at are very similar to how Calfee makes his, hand wrapped carbon. I would go with the guy who has been doing it the longest and offers the best warranty.
Why don't you ask these other carbon builders if they will build you a full carbon triple with S&S couplers that will couple to a tandem. When they say "no way", you will then know who is the best carbon builder around. Check out the photo gallery for a coupled carbon triple. I don't know of any other carbon builder that would attempt that bike.
I bought one of the first DFlys back in 2001. It has been an excellent bike and I still don't know of a frame that is significantly better in any aspect.
Apparently these other builders don't offer their frames in nude, ie. no paint. Paint add weight and chips. Why do they need to paint the frames? To cover something up? Carbon does not need to be painted, just covered in a sun screen when you clean the bike. And with the money you will spend on the bike, you will want to make sure it is clean, so spend the extra 5 minutes and make the frame look new by applying sun screen.
Bruce
PS. I hope you plan to put Record or Red on the bike. Don't buy a light weight frame and stick DA on it. It has no carbon parts and is about 1/2 lb heavier than Record. Plus it looks ugly as sin. Campy is nice on a carbon bike because of all the carbon they use. I don't have any experience with SRAM Red, but I hear it is lighter than Record. Friends don't let friends ride ShimaNo!
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